Rafael Montero Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 0" / 190 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 10/17/1990 (33)
- Experience
- 5
- College
- None
Rafael Montero Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Rafael Montero News
The Houston Astros re-signed relief pitcher Rafael Montero to a three-year deal worth $34.5 million on Saturday. Montero became one of the best high-leverage relief arms in the game in 2022, posting a 2.37 ERA (2.64 FIP), a 1.02 WHIP, a career-high 14 saves and 73 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings pitched in 71 relief outings during the regular season for the Astros. The 32-year-old right-hander was even better in helping the Astros win the World Series, as he allowed only two earned runs on five hits while walking six and striking out 10 in 9 1/3 innings in the postseason. Montero could see saves again in 2023, but he'll open the year as a high-end setup man ahead of closer Ryan Pressly, still giving him plenty of fantasy appeal.
Houston Astros relief pitcher Rafael Montero picked up his 12th save of the season in Monday's 1-0 win over the Rangers. Montero came in to pitch the ninth inning up by one and delivered a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Montero has served as a solid fill-in closer while Ryan Pressly (neck) has been on the injured list with neck stiffness and has now converted all but two save opportunities this season with a 2.54 ERA. Pressly is expected to return to the team early this week, which will hurt Montero's fantasy value. That being said, he may still see a few saves down the stretch and will still be worth a roster spot in roto leagues for fantasy managers chasing saves.
Houston Astros reliever Rafael Montero recorded his eighth save of the season on Thursday as his club defeated the Twins 6-3. He needed 16 pitches to retire the side in order as he issued a pair of groundouts and collected one strikeout in the clean performance. Montero has put together a fine season with a 2.56 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 55 K through 52 2/3 IP in a setup role for most of the campaign. With Ryan Pressly landing on the IL earlier in the day, Montero figures to see most of the save chances moving forward with Hector Neris and Bryan Abreu acting as secondary options for save-hungry fantasy managers.
Batting Order
| 1 | Jose Altuve |
| 2 | Alex Bregman |
| 3 | Yordan Alvarez |
| 4 | José Abreu |
| 5 | Michael Brantley |
| 6 | Kyle Tucker |
| 7 | Chas McCormick |
| 8 | Jeremy Peña |
| 9 | Martín Maldonado |
Rafael Montero Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
| 1 | Jose Altuve |
| 2 | Alex Bregman |
| 3 | Yordan Alvarez |
| 4 | José Abreu |
| 5 | Michael Brantley |
| 6 | Kyle Tucker |
| 7 | Chas McCormick |
| 8 | Jeremy Peña |
| 9 | Martín Maldonado |
In 2020, Rafael Montero compiled a 4.08 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, a perfect eight saves in eight opportunities, and 19 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched with Texas. Now with Seattle after an early-December trade, managers who plan to draft Montero as a closer at his current ADP of 188 would be rolling the dice. First, it is not certain Montero will immediately slide into Seattle's closer role. The Mariners may look to other internal options (e.g., Yohan Ramirez), or they may make additional off-season moves to fortify a bullpen that was among the worst in the American League in 2020. Secondly, Montero's 2020 numbers show signs of regression. Despite his 4.08 ERA, Montero compiled an xERA of 4.61 and an xFIP of 4.85. He also saw a 4% decline in his 2019 K%. Furthermore, Montero yielded a 44.4% overall hard-hit rate, a 15.6% overall barrel rate, and an overall 23-degree launch angle. These are numbers that were well below 2020 MLB averages and don't equate to those of a lock-down closer. While Montero could generate save totals in the mid-20s, to go with an ERA near 4.25 and a strikeout per inning, his fantasy value is almost entirely dependent upon his attaining and retaining the Mariners' closer role. With bullpen competition and regression likely, this is a risky proposition. Managers should be cautious and potentially look elsewhere in the middle rounds of drafts for more sound closer options.
